Monday, April 04, 2011

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on Sunday that the two employees of the faulty Fukushima Nuclear Power Station who has been missing since the 11 March quake has been found dead.

The Kyodo News reported that the two workers who were in their 20s died from hemorrhage from multiple wounds, making them the first casualties from the plant that is continuously emitting radioactive materials.

Kazuhiko Kokubo, 24, and Yoshiki Terashima, 21 had been inspecting Reactor No. 4's turbine building. The temblor struck at 14:46 after which a giant tsunami occurred minutes later. They are believed to have died at around 16:00.

TEPCO spokesman said Kokubo and Terashima were found dead on Wednesday afternoon in a Reactor no. 4 power panel room. Autopsy was carried out on Saturday after decontamination procedures.

Due to respect for the victim's families, the announcement of their deaths was delayed.

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The 25,000 combined Japan Self-Defense Forces and the US military recovered 11 bodies on its final leg of the three-day intensive search bringing to a total of 77 corpses, Kyodo News reported..

The official death toll from the triple disasters now climbed up to 12,020 and 15,512 people missing as of 16:00, 3 April.

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The Philippines' "Jam for Japan" relief concert raised over US$400,000.

The benefit concert, participated by more than 30 jazz performers in Manila's financial capital, Makati City, was held at the Ayala Museum on Friday night.

Guillermo Luz, director of the museum told Kyodo News, "We raised 17.5 million pesos (about $403,900) and will send it to the Japan Red Cross next week.

"We are extremely happy with the response. It wasn't only the cash contributed but the amount of volunteer support by the musicians and artists, director and technical crew.

"This was a way of returning the favor and extending help to people who needed help."